Download Pre-WWII

Chapter 24
The West Between the Wars
The Futile Search for Stability
Section 1
Weak League of Nations
-The failure of the USA to join the league. Most
Americans did not wish to be involved in
European affairs. The US Senate
refused to ratify or approve
the Treaty of Versailles.
-Lack of military support
French Demands / Inflation in Germany
France received 2.5 billion marks from Germany
in 1921, however the following year the German
government stated they can no longer pay due to
financial problems.
Outraged, the French sent troops to occupy the
Ruhr Valley, Germanys chief industrial and mining
center.
In reaction, German workers went on strike and
government paid their salaries by printing more
money. By printing more money, the German
government caused inflation.
Inflation
The German mark became worthless by 1914
1914:
12 marks
=$1
1923: 130,000,000,000 marks =$1
Economic adversity led to political upheavals.
Dawes Plan, reduced reparations and
coordinated with Germany based upon
Germanys ability to pay.
The plan granted an initial $200 million loan for
Germany recovery.
Inflation
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5b618iV3tM
(1minute)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkMq9IpCaK
0
(2minutes)
Treaty of Locarno
A brief period of prosperity came to Europe between
1924-1929.
During this period leaders signed the treaty which
guaranteed Germanys new western borders with
France and Belgium.
-Germany joins the League of Nations in 1926
-Kellogg-Brand pact brought about more hope signed
by Sixty-three nations.
Unfortunately, the nations in Europe never
reduced military forces to make war less
probable. There was still distrust left from WWI.
The Great Depression
Causes:
1. Downturns in the economies of individual
nations in the second half of the 1920s.
Rapid production of wheat and farm products were
leading towards overproduction.
2. Internal financial crisis involving the US stock
market.
-The US banks had given loans out in the 1920s,
now investors were pulling money out (Especially
(out of Germany) in order to invest the US stock
market. This led towards a weak bank of Germany.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpfY8kh5lUw
Stories of the Great Depression
Responses to Depression
By 1932 1 out of 4 British workers were unemployed
Governments did not know how to deal with crisis.
The crisis led towards increased government activity;
in the economy.
This low level of employment renewed interest in the
Marxist doctrines.
Post-war Politics
In a number of states, women could now vote
(Exceptions France, Italy and Switzerland)
Germany
The new German republic from 1918 was called
the Weimar Republic.
-The republic had no truly outstanding political
leaders (Although they did have a President Paul
von Hindenburg)
-Serious economic problems and
the unemployment rate led way
for the rise of extremist parties.
France
After the victory in WWI France was the
strongest nation in the world.
After seeing instability following the depression
the French government formed six different
cabinets, finally in June 1936, a coalition of leftist
parties (Communists, Socialists, and Radicals
formed the Popular Front Government).
-They started programs called the French New Deal
-However, their policies failed and by 1938 France had
little faith in their political system.
In 1931 the Labour Party which was the largest
party in Britain was voted out of office due to its
failure to solve economic problems.
A new government took power led by
Conservatives, changing policies through
implementing balanced budgets and protective
tariffs.
Great Britain
John Maynard Keynes
British economist who condemned the old
theory that in a free economy, depressions
should be left to resolve themselves without
government interferences.
Keynes argued that unemployment did not
come from overproduction, but from decline in
demand.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0nERTFo-Sk
(Keynes Rap)
The United States
The US was affected most by
the Great Depression.
In 1932 US industrial production had fallen almost 50
percent from its 1929 level, with 12 million people
unemployed.
Under these circumstances, Franklin Delano Roosevelt,
was able to win the election in 1932 and pursued the
New Deal where he increased program of public works
and increased jobs 3 million jobs.
-He passed the Social Security Act
-However, the new deal did not completely solve
unemployment.
The Rise of Dictatorial Regimes
Section 2
Emergence of Totalitarian States
By the late 1930s, there were only so many
democratic states remaining. Many had become
totalitarian states, where the government controls
politics, economy, social, intellectual and cultural
aspects of peoples lives.
-These governments would use propaganda to
brainwash people.
Fascism in Italy
Benito Mussolini
Started a political group Fascio di Combattimento,
League of combat (which is where the term fascism
originates from).
-The group emphasized the
need for a strong central
government run by a
dictator.
1920-21 Mussolini forms bands of black-shirted
armed Facists called the Blackshirts (squadristi).
The middle-class who were fearing of a communist
take over and the strikes by the farmers led towards
middle class support of Mussolini.
In 1922, the Facists threatened to march on Rome if
not given power. Victor Emmanuel II, the King of
Italy gave in and made Mussolini prime minister.
Mussolini used his position as PM
-pass new laws where government could suspend
any publications criticizing the state or church.
-Established a secret police (known as the OVRA).
The Fascist State
Suppressed people through propaganda and
taking over all types of media.
Fascist youth groups were formed to focus on
military activities and Fascist values.
-Value discipline
-Love war
-Keep women in the
homes
However, Mussolini never achieved the degree of
totalitarian control seen in Hitler's Germany or
Stalin's Soviet Union.
Many of the former institutions remained, the
Catholic Church, the army and the King remained
in their positions.
The Catholic church was given large sums of
money from Mussolini and in return the Catholic
Church urged Italians to support the fascist.
A New Era in the Soviet Union
New Economic Policy:
1921 Lenin begun his NEP (New Economic Policy),
where he allowed peasants to sell their produce
openly, however banking, mines and heavy
industry was still controlled by the government.
In 1922 Lenin and the Communists formally
created a new state called the Union of Soviet
Socialist Republics (USSR).
Rise of Stalin
Following Lenin's death in 1924 the
party was divided.
The group was divided into 2 factions.
Leon Trotsky, who wanted an end to NEP and launch
Russia on path of rapid industrialization and spread
communism
Joseph Stalin was in charge of appointing posts in the
party during Lenin's rule, this background came to his
advantage as many party officials vouched for his
support.
Stalin expelled Trotsky in 1927 (Trotsky went to Mexico
where he was murdered in 1940) and took full control
over the party.
Five-Year Plan
Set economic goals for five-year periods. Their purpose
was to transform Russia virtually overnight from an
agricultural into an industrial country.
-Emphasized on producing capital goods and
armaments.
-Succeeded in increasing steel production
-Number of workers increased
-Wages declined
-Collectivization of agriculture occurred where
government owned all land.
Cost of Stalin's Programs
• Hoarding of food created widespread famine.
• An estimate of 10 million peasants died.
• Stalin ruled the party with an iron fist. Anyone
who opposed him was sent to Siberia.
• An estimate of eight million Russians were
arrested, some executed.
Eastern
Europe
• Many of the new states had failed democracies
– Most areas were rural and had many illiterate
peasants and land owners who feared democracy.
– Traditionally Eastern European states were run by
strong centralized governments.
– *Exception was Czechoslovakia which had a large
middle class, liberal tradition and a political
democracy.
Spain
General Francisco Franco, led forces against the
democratic government in 1936.
The Soviets, Germans and Italians backed Franco
with soldiers and weapons.
The Spanish Civil War came to an end when
Franco's forces captured Madrid in 1939,
establishing a dictatorship favoring
businesspeople, Catholic clergy and large land
owners.
Analyzing Guernica
In Groups (Assignment Grade)
Hitler and
Nazi Germany
Section 3
Hitler's Up-Bringing
Born 1889
-Failed secondary school and traveled to Vienna
to become an artist but rejected by the school.
-He stayed in the city and lived off inheritance.
-Serves in the Western Front for four years
-In 1919 he joins the little-known German
Workers Party, one of the several right-wing
extreme nationalist parties in Munich.
By 1921, Hitler had taken control of the National
Socialist German Workers Party (NSDAP) or Nazi.
-Within 2 years the party grew to 55,000 with
15,000 party militia (known as the SA)
In 1923 Hitler staged an uprising against the government
(Beer Hall Putsch), however failed and was sent to
prison.
In jail Hitler wrote the Mein Kampf (My
Struggle).
The book reflects Hitlers strong
nationalism,
anti-Semitism and his theory of Social
Darwinian ideas that the Aryan race is
superior.
The Rise of Nazism
By 1929, the Nazi party has expanded to 800,000,
Hitler had realized in prison that a violent revolt is not
the way, but taking over through politics, legally.
Germany had a high unemployment rate, which made
it easier for the Nazi’s to recruit people.
Hitler promised to create a new Germany.
-National pride and honor
-Traditional militarism
-A strong Germany
Victory of Nazism
Slowly the elites in Germany began to support the
right-wing in fear of a communist take over.
By 1933, the president, Hidenburg was pressured to
agree to allow Hitler take over as chancellor for a
new government.
-The Nazi’s “legally” seized the government
-Enabling Act allowed the government to ingore the
constitution while it deal with the countries problems
for four years.
-All political parties except the Nazis abolished
-Hidenburg dies in 1934, and the position of president
is abolished.
Early Years of the Nazi State (1933-39)
• The Nazis, wanted to create an Aryan State. He
believed that in the past there have been two
Aryan empires, the Romans and the German
Empire of 1871, he wanted to create a Third Reich
of Nazi Germany.
• The Schutzstaffeln (Guard Squadrons) SS, were a
force created as Hitlers personal bodyguard.
Heinrich Himmler was in charge of the SS.
– The SS used terror and ideology. Terror was
implemented through police, concentration camps,
death camps, while ideology was dictated by the idea
of Aryans being the master race.
The new regime helped bring an end to
unemployment through mass hiring when
beginning a mass rearmament program.
-This played a large factor towards the
German people accepting the Nazis.
Nuremberg party rallies, and other massive events
were used to appeal to the public and stir
excitement.
Institutions, such as the churches and universities
were used to brainwash people.
Women
The Nazis believed that men were destined to
be warriors and political leaders, while
women were meant to be wives and mothers.
Women were considered unsuitable for
positions such as university teaching,
medicine and law, and instead encouraged
women to become nurses and do social work.
Anti-Semetic Policies
Nuremberg Laws (1935) the Nazi party
announced racial laws which excluded
Jews from German citizenship and forbade
marriage between Jews and Germans.
In 1941 they were also forced to wear a yellow
Stars of David and to carry identification saying
that they were Jewish.
Charlie
Chaplin
The Pianist
The violent phases started in 1938 (Kristallnacht,
“Night of Shattered Glass) when Nazis began to
destroy synagogues and burn Jewish businesses.
At least a 100 Jews were killed and 30,000
rounded up to concentration camps.
-Jews were barred from all public transportation
-Hospitals, schools
-Owning, managing stores
-Forced to clean up all
damaged due to Kristallnact
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